


Broken

by Red__Wolf



Series: Broken (Tony Stark & Reader) [1]
Category: Iron Man (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Avengers Compound, Domestic Avengers, F/M, First Dates, Jealous Tony Stark, New York, Slow Burn, Superpowers
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-12-04
Updated: 2021-03-06
Packaged: 2021-03-10 00:14:25
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 10
Words: 9,085
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27885094
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Red__Wolf/pseuds/Red__Wolf
Summary: It was no secret that you and Tony had been dancing around a "will they/won't they?" scenario for the last few months - it was just unfortunate that neither one of you was brave enough to make that first move.
Relationships: Tony Stark & Original Female Character(s), Tony Stark & Reader, Tony Stark & You (Iron Man movies)
Series: Broken (Tony Stark & Reader) [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2041792
Comments: 4
Kudos: 16





	1. Chapter 1

"So, what do you think?" You asked Nat, spinning on the spot to show off your outfit while she looked you over from across the kitchen. She exhaled dramatically, nodding her head enthusiastically. 

"I think if your date doesn't bed you tonight then _I_ will," she said with a wink, and you laughed as you waved her off. 

"Oh, _stop._ You'll make me blush," you grinned, approaching the counter and taking the bottle of water she'd placed there for you. You opened it and gulped some down, your throat suddenly very dry now that it was almost time to leave. Sensing your discomfort, Natasha placed a hand on your arm, pulling your attention away from your anxieties to focus on her. 

"You're going to be _fine_ ," she reassured, and although you nodded in response you weren't entirely sure that you agreed. It had been a long time since you'd been on the dating scene and you were convinced you'd make a fool of yourself. "You have the taser I gave you, right?" 

Typical Nat, assessing the risks no matter the situation. But you didn't mind, it was nice having someone looking out for you and making sure you could defend yourself. Not that you _needed_ the taser, but it was nice to have it as back up. 

"Whose getting tased?" Tony's voice sounded from behind and when you turned to face him his steps faltered, his eyebrows raising in appreciation as he took in your appearance. "Now, when I said I like dress up this wasn't _exactly_ what I had in mind." 

You rolled your eyes as he smirked at his own joke and continued on his way to the refrigerator. 

"Y/N _has a date_ ," Natasha announced pointedly, wearing a smirk of her own, and you silently glared at her. 

It was no secret that you and Tony had been dancing around a "will they/won't they?" scenario for the last few months - it was just unfortunate that, even after spending countless nights confiding in one another when you couldn't sleep and growing closer and ever more flirty, neither one of you was brave enough to make that first move. 

You'd bonded over shared trauma, confessed your deepest fears and contemplated what more lay beyond the stars. You'd drank with him until the early hours, until you were drunk enough to sleep without nightmares, cried on his shoulder, listened to his plans to make the world safer from potential future threats, then comforted him when it all overwhelmed him. You'd opened up to him in a way you'd never have expected, and yet, as quickly as it had started it all came crashing to a halt when Tony stopped coming downstairs to join you for a late night talk and tipple, with no explanation as to why. 

You'd wondered at first if it was something you'd said - perhaps you'd offended him somehow and he'd changed his mind about you...but very quickly it dawned on you that he was _Tony Stark_ , and he had a _reputation_ \- **_of course_ ** he was going to get bored eventually! You were probably just a crutch for him to lean on until he was back up and running as the Tony everyone knew and loved. 

Knowing the situation, Nat had insisted on getting you back in the dating game - something not only to distract you from the situation with Tony, but also a way to regain some of the self confidence that you'd lost in the process. 

"A _date,_ huh? Interesting," his tone was dismissive as he turned his attention to the fridge, yet the tensing of his jaw did not go unnoticed. He muttered something under his breath while he rooted around but you didn't quite catch it, choosing instead to ignore it because frankly you weren't in the mood. He'd had his chance to make a move and hadn't taken it, it wasn't fair for him to give you a hard time for moving on when he had done so first. 

Tony shut the refrigerator door, a little harder than intended, and forced a smile. 

"Well, I hope you have _fun_ ," his eyes locked on yours and you felt as though you might wilt under his gaze, but then he excused himself and left, empty-handed, without another word. 

"He’s _definitely_ still into you," Nat commented, and you snorted and shot her a disapproving look. 

"That's why he's been dangling me on a string all this time," you retorted sarcastically, rolling your eyes for extra effect. 

"I'm just saying it how I see it," she shrugged, ignoring your tone. It was obviously still a sensitive subject and she didn't want to go digging where it wasn't welcome, especially when you were about to head out for the evening. Speaking of…

The monitor on the wall beeped with an alert that announced your date's arrival, and you looked at the screen to see his car parked at the security gate, his face full of uncertainty as he peered up at the camera through his windscreen. 

"I'd better not leave him waiting, he looks terrified already!" You babbled, finishing your water before grabbing your purse from the counter. 

"Well, he _is_ picking you up from a complex full of superheroes," Nat pointed out, and you nodded in agreement as you put your arms through the sleeves of your jacket. "He's probably worried that if he messes up one of us will kick his ass." 

"If he messes up, _I'll_ kick his ass," you chuckled. 

" _Go._ And at least try and have fun." 

You thanked her for her words of encouragement, doing one final check of your hair and makeup in your compact mirror before hurrying down to the front gates of the compound to greet your date. 

○○○○○○○○○○○○

"I thought you were getting us some food?" Bruce's voice cut through Tony's train of thought upon his return to the lab, and he looked up to see his work partner staring at his empty hands in confusion. 

"I, uh...You wanna go out and get something? I feel like we've earned a break," he glanced over at the project they'd been working on all afternoon, satisfied with the amount of progress they'd made. Bruce eyed him suspiciously for a moment, wary of his sudden change in behaviour, but he decided to let it slide with a shrug of his shoulders. 

"Sure, let me just finish up here and I'll be ready." 

Tony nodded and turned to his own workstation, covered in sheets of paper and all manner of tools - cluttered, just like his brain felt at that very moment. The workshop felt suddenly stifling, and with each second that passed he grew more and more restless. He needed to get out. 

"I'll go wait in the car," he announced, not bothering to wait for Bruce's reply before heading back upstairs to the garage.


	2. Chapter 2

"Tony, if I knew that your idea of getting dinner was going to be _spying on Y/N_ then I definitely wouldn't have agreed to come!" Bruce hissed from across the table, hiding behind his menu in an attempt to avoid being spotted by you, sitting no more than five tables away from the two of them. At least Tony had had the sense to book a booth table for _some_ semblance of privacy. 

" _I'm not spying_ ," Tony hissed back, glancing in your direction over the top of his own menu. You really did look stunning in that dress, the way it hugged your figure was just so... _enticing._ He internally shook himself to gather his senses, turning back to Banner. 

"I'm just looking out for Y/N's best interests. We don't know _who_ this guy is or what his intentions are, and I think it's up to us, _as her_ _friends_ , to find out." 

“Uh huh,” Bruce eyed him doubtfully and even Tony had to admit it was a weak excuse, but the alternative - the _truth -_ wasn't an option. He wouldn't, he _couldn't_ , open that can of worms. The mess would be catastrophic, he was sure of it. 

Besides, it wasn't a total lie, he really _did_ want to know this guy's deal - if he was going to start hanging around he at least wanted to know the type of person he was, though he suspected he was likely going to avoid him either way. 

"Look, let's just get our food and get out of here, I'm not playing along with whatever this is," Bruce sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose to alleviate an oncoming headache. 

"Is someone getting a little _hangry_?" Tony quipped, allowing himself a smirk as Banner rolled his eyes. 

"Just pick what you want to eat, Tony." 

○○○○○○○○○○

So far the evening was shaping up to be quite pleasant. The food was delicious, the atmosphere was nice, and the company was turning out to be rather lovely. It was nice to indulge in some _normal_ conversation for a change, away from superheroes and missions and who was trying to take over the world this week - however much you wouldn't change your life as an agent of S.H.I.E.L.D and part-time Avenger, it was difficult at times to live a life that felt so _controlled_. No matter what situation you were in, whether it was kicking someone's ass or attending a promotional event, there was always someone else pulling the strings, telling you how to act and what to do. It was a welcome relief to spend some time away from all of that. 

You giggled as your date, Jack, came to the end of a rather amusing story and was just about to share your own, similarly embarrassing experience when his eyes shifted to something behind you and widened at what he saw. 

"Is that-" 

" _Tony Stark,"_ you finished for him as you turned to see what had caught his attention. It seemed Jack wasn't the only one who'd noticed the billionaire, as whispers began spreading and a small commotion rippled through the restaurant. 

"Excuse me a moment," you said, smiling sweetly at your date before backing your chair away from the table and marching towards Tony's. His eyes lit up when he saw you walking over and he quickly turned to Bruce sitting opposite him. 

"Oh honey, wasn't I just saying how funny it would be if we saw someone we know here!" He gushed in a high pitched voice, making Bruce wince and hold his head in his hands. It was obvious that he wanted no part in this, likely an unsuspecting pawn in whatever game Tony was playing, so you directed your attention, and anger, back to the man in question. 

"What the hell are you doing here?" You demanded, glaring at him in such a way that his arrogance waned slightly under your gaze. He recovered quickly, though, and fluttered his lashes innocently. 

"I'm just enjoying a quiet dinner with my friend here," he smiled, gesturing to Bruce, who looked like he'd rather be swallowed by a black hole than sitting where he was. 

"Of course, and it _just so happens_ to be in the same place where I'm on a date." 

"Small world," his grin was infuriating, and you balled your fists at your sides in an attempt to keep your temper in check. It wouldn't serve any good to lose control now, not when there were so many onlookers - **_potential casualties_ ** _._ Taking a breath, you gritted your teeth before responding. 

"I don't know what you're hoping to achieve here Tony, but I assure you that you're wasting your time." 

"I don't know what you're talking about," despite his arrogance there was a vulnerability in his eyes that you'd only ever seen in the quieter, more intimate moments you'd shared, and it made you question everything you'd thought leading up to this moment. Shaking those questions aside immediately, you simply placed your hands on the table and leaned closer to speak quietly in his ear. 

"I gave you plenty of chances to make a move, don’t even _try_ and make me feel guilty for giving up on a futile pursuit.”

“I assure you, any guilt you feel is _all yours_ , sweetheart.” 

You glared at him, teeth clenched as you contemplated how he could be so _infuriating_ yet somehow still endearing, waves of frustration rolling off of you. Somewhere far away you heard Bruce saying your name, gently, yet with a touch of warning, and it wasn’t until Tony broke eye contact first that you finally acknowledged him. He shifted uncomfortably under your stare, but nodded, very subtly, to your hands on the table, a faint orange glow emitting from them. You removed them immediately, straightening up and clenching and unclenching your fists to rid them of the unspent energy, doing so in a way that was impossible for any witnesses to identify what was going on. You couldn’t afford to cause a scene, it would be a PR nightmare for the Avengers and you _really_ didn’t want to face the wrath of Nick Fury. 

“I’ve got to go,” you blurted, throwing Bruce an apologetic smile and a pointed look at Tony before returning to your table. 

"I'm sorry Jack, but would you mind if we picked up dessert somewhere else? I'm afraid this place has lost its appeal," you asked softly, finishing off your wine in one big gulp. 

"Yeah, of course," he nodded and got up to put on his coat. You placed a hand over his when he pulled out his wallet, smiling reassuringly when he frowned in confusion. 

"Don't worry about it, _he's_ _paying_ ," you gestured in Tony's direction, who was staring blankly at Bruce. Jack nodded slowly, still very obviously confused but accepting your answer anyway. You thanked him as he helped you into your jacket, ignoring the stares from the other patrons as you cast a final glance at the other table and left. 

○○○○○○○○○○

"Are you happy now? Did you get what you wanted out of that little performance?" Bruce chastised after you’d left, folding his arms and glaring at Tony. 

Of all the things Banner had expected, it wasn't for Stark to _smile_ . Not just an average smile, either, Tony had a full blown _grin._ He raised an eyebrow quizzically, waiting for an explanation, but Tony just continued to stare at him with that goofy expression on his face. 

"She still likes me," he muttered eventually, looking quite smug with himself. Bruce leaned forward and rested his elbows on the table, looking at Tony as if he was crazy. 

" _Really? That's_ what you got out of that exchange?" 

"Wasn't it obvious?" 

"I'm pretty sure _these_ prove otherwise," Bruce gestured to the spot on the table where your hands had been, now peppered with scorch marks. 

"Oh, Bruce. That only serves to prove that _I'm right_."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> An interesting turn of events...


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Apologies for the shorter chapter, the last few weeks have been a little hectic and unfortunately that meant this story got put on the back burner - rest assured, I will make up for it!

"Thankyou for a lovely evening, Jack. I had a really great time," you smiled from the passenger seat, once he'd pulled up to the gates of the compound and switched off his engine. "And I'm sorry about the whole restaurant incident." 

"Honestly, it's fine," he said with a wave of his hand. "I’ll admit, it's a little unnerving to find Iron Man and the Hulk sitting in on your date, but I had a great time too." 

You shared a laugh before silence fell between you both.

"Can I see you again?" He asked quietly, almost shyly, and a sudden rush of heat flooded your cheeks. 

"Yeah, I'd like that," you smiled, excited by the prospect of another date. Jack seemed like a sweet guy and you were keen to find out more about him and see where this went. It was refreshing for someone to mirror that feeling, too. 

An awkward air filled the car then and you found yourself clambering for something to fill the silence with. Glancing at Jack, it seemed he was struggling with the same internal battle, too. 

"Well, I should probably get going," you blurted after a moment, shifting to get your bag from the footwell. A gentle hand on your arm caused you to look up, and you were surprised to find Jack leaning just that little bit closer. Your pulse quickened as you realised what was coming, and a thousand questions ran through your head. Was this the right thing to do? Did you _want_ to kiss him? He was a nice guy, sure, but were you really ready for that? 

You placed your free hand over his, holding his gaze and sending a very clear message that you weren't quite there yet. Instead of kissing him on the lips, you leaned over and planted a quick peck on his cheek, smiling apologetically before turning to the door and letting yourself out. 

"Thank you again, I really did have a nice time," you said, dipping your head back in to look at him one last time. "I'm looking forward to seeing you again." 

The two of you shared a smile before you bid him goodnight and closed the car door. Keying in the security code at the gate, you waved him off before heading inside. 

xxx

You found Natasha and Steve in the living room when you got in, playing some fighting game on the Xbox. By the looks of it Nat was winning, though you were sure that was because Steve was _letting_ her - for all of her talents, being good at games was definitely not one of them. 

You slipped off your shoes and jacket and joined them on the oversized couch, relishing the feeling of your toes no longer being squished in your heels. 

"How did it go?" Nat asked, her eyes not leaving the screen. 

"I hope he was a gentleman," Steve chimed in, and you smiled fondly at the super soldier. 

"He was, don't worry," you reassured, before diving into a rundown of the evening's events. You purposely missed out the part about Tony, not wanting to delve too deeply into that drama just yet, but you stayed truthful about everything else.

“Did you kiss him?” Nat asked, finally dragging her attention away from the screen. In your peripheral you could see Steve gaining the upper hand while her attention was elsewhere, and you resisted the urge to smirk. 

“No,” you admitted, feeling slightly embarrassed, “it didn’t feel right.” 

She raised an eyebrow suspiciously, a smirk creeping onto her lips. 

“Or maybe _he_ didn’t feel right.”

You stared blankly at her, baffled by her words, before their meaning dawned on you and you groaned. 

“Can we shut up about Tony Stark,” you grumbled with a roll of your eyes. “I’ve had enough of him for one evening!” 

You realised your error before the words had even finished leaving your mouth, and even Steve snapped his head in your direction, confusion written all over his face. 

“What’s that supposed to mean?” He frowned, and when you glanced in Nat’s direction you found her expression mirroring his. 

“Nothing, just...He showed up at the same restaurant tonight and it was weird.”

“Is that why you didn’t kiss Jack? Because you were thinking about Tony?” Nat’s question had been innocent enough but you couldn't help but feel slightly annoyed by it. You resisted the urge to roll your eyes and instead shook your head. 

“ _No_ , I was _not_ thinking about Tony. I just didn’t want to go throwing myself at the first man to pay me some attention, you know?” 

She nodded in understanding and you were relieved that she didn't push the matter. 

“Are you ladies actually gonna join me at some point or have I gotta put up with more girl talk?” Steve joked, waving a controller at you. You playfully nudged his arm and accepted it, shifting to make yourself more comfortable before dropping into the game. 

You were grateful for the distraction, pleased that, for the time being, your thoughts _weren't_ on Tony Stark.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> For anyone who might be wondering - the title for this story is taken from the song 'Broken' by Iron Man himself, Robert Downey Jr. It features the line "you fell in love with a broken heart" and I felt that it suited this story, and Tony Stark's character, quite well. I'm not great at coming up with titles but hopefully this little nod to his music career will be appreciated. :)


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Apologies for another short chapter - chapter 5 is coming right up! I originally intended to post the two separate parts as one longer chapter, but there's quite a lot of information in both and I didn't want to overload anyone with a giant wall of text!

The beginnings of a headache were swirling when you awoke the following morning, and although you’d enjoyed hanging out with Natasha and Steve you did regret staying up so late with them. More than anything you wanted to turn over and go back to sleep, but unfortunately you weren’t that lucky - there was a training session to get to. 

When you'd first joined S.H.I.E.L.D Nick Fury had put you through your paces to get a read on the full extent of your abilities, since they were a mystery even to you. Based on the results, his team of specialists had devised a simulation programme specifically for you to hone your skills and build your strength, which also allowed them to monitor any concerns that might flag up. 

Setting your water bottle at the side of the room, you moved to the middle of the floor and took a deep breath to mentally prepare yourself. Once you were ready, you clicked the button on the devices around your wrists, which started the programme, and moved into a defensive stance to begin. Similar to a Virtual Reality game, holographic figures appeared around you, moving in to attack in quick succession. The device on your wrists worked like a motion sensor, tracking your movements, along with two others on each ankle, registering each time you blocked, countered, and attacked. Every time you 'defeated' an enemy they disintegrated, replaced by another shortly after. The sensors also worked as temperature gauges, monitoring your body heat to ensure things didn’t get out of hand - or rather, to make sure that you didn’t end up _melting_ everything. 

The programme worked in waves, each one getting progressively more difficult, until you either reached the end, received too many hits, or gave up - whichever came first. It wasn't often that you gave up, not anymore. Some days, depending on your state of mind, were harder, and today was turning out to be one of those days, as you found yourself missing easy openings and getting more hits than you'd have liked this early on. 

The whole fiasco at dinner last night had thrown you through a loop, leading you to repeatedly lose focus as thoughts of Tony and his motives drifted in. You couldn't help but question what kind of game he was playing, if he even was - it may well have been a coincidence that he was there after all. Highly doubtful, but still a possibility. 

You'd thought you’d grown close, you'd shared so much and seen a side to Tony that you were certain not many others had the privilege to experience. The flirting and lingering looks from across the room could well have just been a bit of fun, but there was no denying the shared connection when you'd both opened up, and despite your best efforts not to, you'd fallen. 

But you were sure, absolutely _positive_ , that he was falling too. Every time you'd looked at him, searching his big brown eyes, you were _sure_ they'd held the same emotion, the same feelings that yours did. But then everything had come to a crashing halt and you were left wondering _why,_ over-thinking and doubting the authenticity of your interactions. 

He'd never given you an explanation, but it didn't take a genius to figure it out; Tony Stark had a reputation, and although it had seemed as though he'd left it behind it had inevitably caught up with him. You had supplied him with what he'd needed while he was processing the events from New York, and now he was ready to move on, dropping you like a toy that had outlived its purpose and focusing his sights on the next thing that caught his attention. 

But then, the way he'd looked at you when he found out you'd got a date...and then miraculously shown up at the same place...that had to mean _something_ , surely? 

The thoughts whizzed around your head like balloons that had been let go of too soon, and it wasn't long before the lights in the room flashed red and everything shut down, alerting you that you'd failed - your attention had strayed and you'd let too many hits in. 

Frustrated, you started the programme again, shaking off the trivial insecurities that had distracted you the first time and forcing yourself to focus. You pushed yourself harder this time, racking up a series of hits in quick succession. Fury had integrated a points system into the programme, keeping track of your daily score so you could aim to do better each time, and as the last wave came to a close and the scoreboard popped up you couldn't help the smile at seeing you'd beaten your previous high score. Considering the crappy start, you were pleased that you'd managed to work through it and come out successful.

Your muscles were screaming at you, but at least your head had quietened, too exhausted to even _consider_ thinking of anything other than a hot shower and breakfast. As you shut everything in the training room down, you were grateful that that was your _only_ thought on your way back up to your room. 


	5. Chapter 5

Tony sighed as he swiped away the holographic monitor, an air of defeat hanging over him. All the information he’d managed to gather on Jack Taggart had painted him as a normal, stand up guy who’d served in the US Army and now worked for a pharmaceutical company that focused on treating wounded and disabled soldiers. Even with JARVIS' help in digging, his record was clean. 

Y/N had had every right to be mad at him for crashing her date last night, and he supposed she _had_ made a good point - there really had been plenty of opportunities for him to make a move, but there was just so much _baggage_ that came with him, it wasn't fair to expect someone else to carry it too. He had hoped that by backing off it might give her the opportunity to figure out what she really wanted, to see that she deserved someone better and less complicated, but he hadn't expected it to hurt quite so much when she did _exactly that_. He supposed, deep down, he'd hoped that she might stick around, but now here he was, stalking some random guy in the hope of finding something incriminating that might get rid of him, all because he was _jealous_. It would seem that Tony Stark _didn't_ get everything he wanted, afterall. 

“You know that moping isn’t gonna get you the girl, right?” Romanoff’s voice caught him off guard and Tony spun around in his chair to face her, standing in the doorway with her arms crossed and an all-knowing smirk on her face. 

“I don’t mope,” he deflected, a little less confident than he'd have liked. He wasn't a fan of being caught unawares and Natasha had a habit of doing just that. 

"You sure? 'Cause it certainly looks like that's what you're doing," she stepped into the room and walked over to him, leaning against his desk casually. 

" **_I don't mope_ ** _,_ " a little more assertive this time, hoping to get her off his case. He glared up at her expectantly. "I'm sorry - are you actually here for something or have you just come to annoy me?" 

She shrugged. "Little bit of both." 

"Great," he rolled his eyes and wheeled his chair away from her, stopping at the desk opposite. “Just make it quick - I’ve got a lot of work to do here,” he added, shuffling a stack of papers and pretending to read them. 

“ _Of course_ you do.” She wasn’t buying it, he knew that, but he kept his focus on the documents anyway, hoping it might help in avoiding any further conversation. “Put the papers down, Tony.”

He didn’t like being told what to do, but when the command came from an elite assassin he didn’t have much of a choice. Dropping the stack onto the desk, he turned to give her his full attention. 

“If you’re gonna lecture me on how I blew my chances with Y/N then I’d rather you didn’t. She’s made it perfectly clear that that ship has sailed far, _far_ away already.”

“I wasn’t, actually, but I did hear all about your little stunt at the restaurant - not your finest hour, I’ll be honest.” 

“Oh, please. Like you wouldn’t have done the same thing.” 

“ _I_ wouldn’t have been stupid enough to get caught. Discreet really isn’t part of your vocabulary, is it?” 

“You said you were here for a reason, yet all I’m hearing is insults. Get to the point.”

Natasha’s lips twitched. “You really are quite touchy when you’re moping, aren’t you?” 

“ **Not moping.** ”

He felt like prey caught in her web, being poked and prodded and _taunted_ until the deadly spider delivered her killing blow. He wasn’t a fan. 

She eyed him for a moment, as though contemplating whether to continue teasing him. Thankfully she chose to put him out of his misery, shifting from her spot against the desk and pulling a tablet from her back pocket. She moved closer to Tony and showed him the information on the screen. 

“Something’s flagged up on SHIELD’s radar, Fury wanted you to take a look.”

“What, what is this?”

Pictures of people with injuries that varied in severity littered the screen, along with articles and video clips that featured an organisation claiming that they could regenerate damaged tissue and regrow severed limbs. It was labelled a medical marvel, a scientific breakthrough, but there were rumours that something more sinister was going on behind the scenes. 

The cogs in Tony’s brain began to turn and he handed the tablet back to Natasha, pulling up his own holographic monitor with a wave of his hand. Romanoff shot him a questioning look as Jack Taggart’s file popped up, but he ignored it as he skimmed through the information until he found what he was looking for. 

“Wonderboy here works with a company that sounds _very_ similar to these guys.”

“You think it could be the same one?” She focused her attention on Tony’s screen as he pulled up the information he’d found on Y/N’s date. Although the bio for his company differed to the one Natasha had shown him, the information was practically the same. 

“I’d bet my latest suit on it.” 

“Do you think he’s in on whatever it is they’re doing?” 

He knew what she was really asking, and they shared a worried glance. 

“For Y/N's sake, I hope not."


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'll be taking a short break over Christmas and New Year so this is the last instalment for a little while. 
> 
> Thank you for reading and taking the time to leave kudos on this story so far - it's very much appreciated as it reassures me that it's actually worth writing! 
> 
> I hope you all have a very Merry Christmas and I hope that 2021 is a much better year for you than this one has been! Stay safe and make good choices!  
> \- RW

"You want us to _what!?_ " 

"Not gonna happen, chief." 

Nick Fury eyed Natasha and Tony sternly as he crossed his arms and stood firm. Although he agreed that keeping Y/N in the dark about Taggart's potential threat wasn't a fair move, S.H.I.E.L.D didn't have many other options at this point. They needed to find information, as _quietly_ and as _fast_ as possible. If this organisation posed a threat it was up to them to take it down, preferably before any damage could be dealt. 

"Do I need to remind you both what you signed up for? We need intel on this company and this is the only means of getting it right now." 

"But why can't we tell Y/N? We could at least let her know to keep her guard up!" Nat argued, silently pleading for Fury to reconsider. 

"I'm sorry, Agent Romanoff, but that isn't an option. We need to be as discreet as possible on this." 

Tony glared at the director of S.H.I.E.L.D, his jaw set into a hard line as he fought the urge to launch himself over the desk and wrap his hands around his throat. Was he really willing to put Y/N at risk for the sake of some information? This was unbelievable.

More than anything he wanted to walk away from this. The thought of deceiving Y/N left a sour taste in his mouth, but he knew, deep down, that he couldn't just let this go. If Fury was insisting on keeping quiet then there was obviously a lot more at stake here. 

Eyes burning into Fury, Tony leaned across the desk. 

"Anything happens to her, I'm holding you accountable." 

"Is that a threat, Mr Stark?" 

"Consider it _a promise_." He didn't wait for a response, simply left the room without another word. Natasha watched him go before turning her attention to Fury. 

"You'd better hope this goes the way you need it to," she warned. 

"Why, because Stark might throw a tantrum?" 

"No...because if things get ugly, I'll help him level the place." 

Her gaze lingered on him as she backed out of the room, hovering in the doorway for a moment before vanishing out of his sight. 

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The Avengers Compound had become quiet lately, as everybody gradually started to return to their own lives. There were times when you felt like the only one left, your insecurities surrounding your history growing rapidly as your thoughts turned to your life before S.H.I.E.L.D. No matter how hard you tried, no matter how hard you pushed yourself to access those memories, there was simply no recollection of your old life - all you could remember was the night you'd met Nick Fury, where you'd woken up in a burned down warehouse as Fury and his team appeared, seemingly from nowhere, and introduced themselves. 

Your abilities had developed soon after, leading you to believe that _you_ were the reason why the building had gone up in flames - but the reason _why,_ or even _how,_ remained a mystery. Even after all the tests Fury and his team had run, there was no explanation, no clues as to what had _caused_ your peculiar powers. 

It had just become something you'd learned to live with, and not something you'd had much time to think about since Loki's attack on New York and the forming of the Avengers had occurred soon after and taken top priority. But now that the dust had settled and everybody else was heading off to continue their day to day lives, it was hard to ignore the feeling that you _didn't belong anywhere_. 

You wondered if this was how Steve had felt like when he'd woken up after 70 years - lost and out of place, with so many unanswered questions - did you have a family? Any friends? Where did you live before all of this? So many questions tumbled through your head and you felt yourself getting caught up in their current, tugging at your insecurities and mocking them. 

Which was why, when Jack called to arrange a second date, you practically _jumped_ at the chance to get out, desperate to escape the confines of the compound and do something other than mope and question your existence.


	7. Chapter 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope everyone enjoyed the festive period and that you're all keeping safe and sane. 
> 
> This is another short chapter but I'll have more for you soon!

“Jack, is everything okay?” You asked gently, noticing how uneasy he looked as the two of you strolled through the park, coffee and pretzel from a nearby vendor in hand. His eyes darted between passersby in rapid succession before he turned his attention to you and forced a smile. 

“Yeah, sorry - just not a big fan of crowds,” he took a swig of coffee and returned his attention to the people walking past, but you couldn’t help the feeling that something was wrong - had he changed his mind about the date? Although _he’d_ called _you,_ so it couldn’t be that, surely? But there was no denying something was off, and the more you observed him from the corner of your eye, the more you got the impression that he was scanning the crowd because he was _looking for someone_. 

You tried not to feel too disheartened by this observation, and wondered if perhaps you’d got it all wrong, but then it hit you. 

“Jack, what happened at the restaurant the other night, with Tony and Bruce...that was just a coincidence. I _promise_ that Iron Man and Hulk aren’t going to crash _this_ date,” you reassured, hoping to put him at ease. It seemed to work, as Jack chuckled softly and his shoulders relaxed, and you smiled at your small success. You'd never even considered how jarring two of Earth’s Mightiest Heroes ‘date-crashing’ must have been. 

You talked idly as you continued your walk, enjoying the warm Autumn afternoon and its sights. It was refreshing to be out of the compound, stretching your legs and clearing your mind, but the good feeling soon came crashing down when you caught sight of Happy among the crowd. 

"You've _got_ to be kidding me," you groaned under your breath, casting a sideways glance to Jack who thankfully hadn't noticed that Iron Man's head of security was barreling towards you. 

You glared at him as he weaved his way through the throng of people, silently challenging him to even _dare_ to interfere. Had Tony put him up to this? _Why_? 

You didn't even try to figure it out, your brain was already exhausted from trying to work out his games, but as Happy drew closer and you saw the terrified expression on his face, you realised that his focus wasn't on _you,_ but _Jack_. 

Turning to address your date, you just about had long enough to recognise the sight of a fist coming towards you, before pain filled your skull and your world turned black.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Looks like Happy's onto something, but is he too late?


	8. Chapter 8

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> OC's past has finally caught up with her, but will she regret learning the truth?

_"They've got her, Tony. They've taken Y/N."_

Few things were able to render Tony Stark speechless, but as Natasha's words sank in over the phone he was overwhelmed by an onslaught of emotions. 

At first he felt anger - white, hot rage directed at Nick Fury for allowing this to happen, which he quickly turned towards himself for failing to protect Y/N. Truth be told he hadn't expected anything to transpire this soon, but then again, _nobody_ had expected that Happy would inadvertently get involved. 

As the newly appointed Head of Security for Stark Enterprises, he was just trying to investigate a suspicious character who'd been hanging around the building that morning - he hadn't been briefed on S.H.I.E.L.D's mission, because nobody had expected the need for him to get involved. 

The thought of Happy immediately quashed Tony's anger, replacing it with grief, worry, and _guilt_ . He'd just been doing his job, trying to protect the people he cared about and worked with, he didn't deserve to get caught up in all of this. But now, thanks to both his own and Nick Fury's oversight, he was laid up in hospital fighting for his life. Tony should have warned him, he could have at least given him a head's up. He was his best friend - at times his _only_ friend. He deserved better. 

Thinking of Happy's current state turned Tony's thoughts to Y/N, and another wave of guilt, mixed with pure, blinding panic, crashed over him. 

_Where was she?_

_Was she hurt?_

_What were they doing to her?_

_How long did she have left?_

So many questions - most of which he didn't _want_ an answer to - swirled around his head like storm clouds, taunting him with images of Y/N being scared, alone, _hurt_ . It was almost too much to bear, but his determination to find her and make the bastards that took her pay overrode everything else - someone had pissed off Tony Stark, which meant they now had _Iron Man_ to answer to. 

And oh, boy, was he going to make them _pay_. 

○○○○○○○○○○

Everything felt hazy when you awoke, as though your head had been stuffed with cotton wool, not helped by the ache of being punched in the face. You tried to ignore it in an attempt to gather your senses and focus on the situation, but as the blurriness faded and your surroundings became clearer an overwhelming sense of hopelessness settled over you. 

You were in a grimy room, littered with run-down looking medical equipment and machines that hummed and beeped rhythmically, locked in a cage-like contraption that pressed against you uncomfortably no matter how much you shifted around. Your hands were free, but as you focused your energy and tried to use your abilities to free yourself you found that instead of burning up like they usually did, your hands gave off what could only be described as a _sizzle_. 

Refusing to give up so easily, you grit your teeth and pushed yourself harder, willing all of your energy to your hands so you could melt the metal that was wrapped around you. 

"I wouldn't bother, if I were you," a familiar voice sounded from somewhere just outside of your peripheral, and your heart dropped when Jack stepped into your line of sight. "I gave you a sedative, your abilities are practically useless until it wears off." 

"Jack, what have you done?" You asked, the unexpected dryness of your throat making the question come out as a croak. 

_How long had you even been here?_

Jack smirked as he stepped closer and tapped on the cage with his knuckles, making you cringe away from the metallic echo. 

"Sweetheart, I'm just the delivery guy," he shrugged, his smile widening. 

"Delivery guy? Delivering _what_ to _who_?" Your brain wasn't working quite as fast as usual, and it was frustrating that you weren't keeping up. 

"Delivering _you_ to _me_ ," another voice answered for him and Jack immediately stepped away from you as he greeted the newcomer with a bow of his head. 

"That'll do, Taggart. You can leave now." 

It was obvious from Jack's sudden change in demeanour that he both respected and _feared_ this man, which didn't really surprise you since the guy was _huge_. With his broad shoulders and rippling muscles, you were sure he could put even Steve through his paces. 

He turned his attention to you as Jack left, his grin only adding to your uneasiness. 

"Y/N, it's lovely to see you again," 

You frowned - _again_? You had no recollection of ever meeting this man - you were pretty sure you'd remember such an encounter. 

"You know me?" 

"Oh yes, I knowyou - or rather, I _knew_ you - before your brain was rebooted from **_the_** **_incident_**. But I'm sure we're going to have _plenty of fun_ catching up." 

You stared blankly at him, trying to process his riddlesome words. 

"What does that even mean?" 

He began pacing in front of you, waving his arms as he spoke. 

"Think of it like, when a computer gets a virus...you download a programme and boom, no more virus…except instead of a computer, it was _your brain_." 

He sighed dramatically when you continued to stare, pinching the bridge of his nose before an idea occurred to him and he hurried over to one of the many monitors facing you. 

"This should help explain things…" 

You could do little else but watch as he pulled up a folder and clicked 'play' on the video file. The screen turned blue before fading in on what looked like an interview, the camera pointing at the subject sitting in a chair as they spoke to somebody off screen. 

_"Can you please state your name for the camera?"_

The man's voice came from behind the camera, and the woman in the video smiled shyly.

_"Brandt. Ellen Brandt."_

_"Ms. Brandt, why are you here today?"_

_"Because I want to show the world that my injury does not define me. That it won't hold me back from living my life."_

As if to emphasise her point, she lifted her arm to show the camera, revealing that it ended just above her elbow. 

_"Okay. So the injections will be administered periodically - addiction will not be tolerated. Subjects who cannot regulate will be removed from the programme, you understand?"_

Ellen Brandt nodded enthusiastically, causing a knot to start twisting in your chest. You didn't like the look of where this was going, nor did you understand why you were being shown this footage. 

The video cut ahead, showing a small group of people lined up, as someone in a white lab coat paced in front of them. 

_"_ **_I promise you_ ** _, in years to come, when you look back at your life, nothing will be as glorious as this. You are the next generation of human evolution. You are paving the way for others - like you - who have suffered. No one will have to endure the same pain that you have, because you have been brave and led the way to better, brighter futures! Let's begin!"_

The scientist (is that what he was?) opened up a briefcase filled with devices that reminded you of asthma inhalers. He walked along the line with them, allowing the subjects to take one before moving on to the next. Putting them to their mouths, they pushed the button on top and inhaled the mixture in the canister, their eyes and skin glowing a faint orange, much like yours did when you used your abilities.

But it wasn't this side effect that had caused you to gasp - you watched in both awe and trepidation as Ellen Brandt's missing arm _grew back_ \- but hers wasn't the only one. Moving down the line, the camera tracked the patients and the regrowth of their missing limbs, all in a matter of seconds. But when it settled on the person at the end, your whole world came to a jarring halt as you saw _yourself_ standing there. 


	9. Chapter 9

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Once again, I am SUPER sorry for the break in updates. Trying to run a household alongside homeschooling leaves little time for creative outlet, and I've been stuck on how to progress the story as a result. I know this is yet another short chapter but please be patient, I promise more will come soon!

“Y/N, you held so much potential, so much _promise_ . Your response to the treatment was remarkable - as though you were _made_ for Extremis.” 

You could barely hear the words as they tumbled out of his mouth, offering you an explanation that did little to put you at ease. You’d always wondered where you’d come from, what your past had held, but being the _subject of an experiment_ had not been on your list of possibilities. 

Advanced Idea Mechanics - A.I.M - was a programme, run by the man in front of you (who had introduced himself as Aldrich Killian), that focused on a form of gene therapy that could regenerate damaged tissue and regrow severed limbs. It had sounded impressive when you’d first heard his explanation - this type of treatment had the potential to advance medicine by a considerable amount and help a lot of people - but as he'd droned on, it was clear that the programme, and his intentions, had strayed quite far from its original purpose. 

"The military would _kill_ for this stuff. They wouldn't need their precious superheroes protecting them when they could have an army of _super soldiers_!" His eyes blazed with frenzied excitement as he continued to pace back and forth, sweat beading on his forehead. 

You watched him in contempt, convinced that he was a madman. The last time someone had tried to make a super soldier it hadn't ended well. You doubted Killian's attempt would be a success either. 

You found yourself wondering why you'd ever come to this man in the first place - you doubted this personality trait was something he'd only recently adopted - but the footage you'd been shown had revealed deep welts of scar tissue covering your arms, littering your chest and wrapping around your neck to creep up your jaw on the right side. You didn't remember how you'd gotten those injuries, but you knew you must have been pretty desperate to trust a man like Aldrich Killian. 

"You're a fool if you think the military will buy this," you stated through gritted teeth, feeling a little braver now the sedative was wearing off. Soon you'd be able to break out of your cage, and then he'd be sorry. 

Suddenly he was charging towards you, slamming his hands on the metal bars either side of your head, his face inches away. As you met his eyes you gasped at the familiar orange glow in them - the telltale sign that he, too, had taken the serum. 

Maybe your escape wasn't going to be as easy as you thought. 

The sound of static filled the room then, drawing Killian's attention away from you and to the radio sitting on a desk next to the monitors. 

" _Sir, we have a problem…"_

Jack's voice crackled over the speaker and Killian charged towards it, snatching the mouthpiece from its stand. 

"What is it?" He asked irritably, clearly not impressed by the interruption. 

" _Iron Man has been spotted on the premises, sir."_

A heavy silence filled the room as Killian processed those words, and for a second you were sure your ears had deceived you. Judging by the look on his face, however, your ears had worked perfectly. You couldn't help but smile, the realisation that someone - _Tony_ \- had come to save you filling you with renewed hope. It didn't last long, as Killian recovered his senses and muttered a response into the radio before turning to you with a malicious grin on his face. 

"I'm afraid our reunion has had to be cut short, Y/N. I am sorry about that, but I think it's time we maybe played a little game," his voice was eerily calm as he walked over to you and opened up the cage, the sudden loss of restraint causing you to stumble forward. 

"Try _anything_ and our uninvited guest will be the one who suffers," he warned and you nodded in acknowledgement, the newfound courage you'd felt only moments ago wilting under his hard stare. He roughly grabbed your arm just above the elbow, his fingers digging into your skin as he shoved you forward and began leading you out of the room.


	10. Chapter 10

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I really need to stop starting these things with an apology, but please accept at least one more for yet another delay in updates! 
> 
> Same reasons as before, but now a tiny piece of normality is returning so I'll soon have time and more brainpower to focus on continuing this and, who knows? Maybe even FINISHING it at some point! *gasp* 
> 
> Thankyou to everyone who has been reading, and to those of you who've been waiting oh so patiently for updates. I hope it was worth the wait. Not gonna lie, I'm not 100% sure I like this chapter - I've contemplated just deleting this whole story and starting over on more than a few occasions to be honest! But I need to see this through. I'm not completely sure where this is going to end up, so please be patient while I figure it out! 
> 
> Thankyou again. x

Of all the things Tony had expected to find waiting for him, an old acquaintance had never been one of them. As Iron Man landed in the small courtyard, Aldrich Killian smirked arrogantly as he waited to greet the man he'd once idolised. 

"You've got a minute to live, fill it with words," Tony demanded, his helmet opening as he aimed a repulsor at Killian. 

Aldrich breathed a laugh, shaking his head mockingly.

"Anthony Stark. The man who's used to getting whatever he wants...well not this time." 

"Where is she?" Tony demanded through gritted teeth, taking a step closer. 

"Nuh uh, that's not how this is going to work," Killian continued to tease, waving a finger. "There's something I need from you first." 

"I'm not giving you a damn thing," 

"Oh, but if you want to save your precious damsel in distress, _you will_." At that moment Tony noticed the tablet Killian was holding, watching with a mixture of impatience and trepidation as he tapped it a few times before turning it around so he could see. 

Tony's heart sank as he laid eyes on Y/N, her wrists bound in chains attached to a hook hanging from the ceiling. She looked helpless as a man in a white coat circled her menacingly, holding a syringe filled with a deep orange liquid. 

"Now, this is a live feed. My associate here has been tasked with _keeping her in line_ until you give me what I want. You make one wrong move, he sticks her with the needle and she goes _boom._ Got it?" 

Killian's smile was sickening as Tony stared at him in disbelief, feeling completely powerless. It was a position he wasn't familiar with, and one he wasn't happy to be in. 

"You're a sick man, Aldrich," he stated, reluctantly lowering his hand. 

"I just thought you might need a _little_ _persuasion_ ," Killian shrugged, beginning to pace back and forth in the small space they were standing in. "Desperation will make a person do just about anything - although, I don't expect you to understand that, since you've always gotten everything you ever wanted." 

"So all this is because of some personal vendetta?" Tony couldn't believe what he was hearing. He'd pondered whether this guy had had a few screws loose when they'd crossed paths all those years ago, but now he was _certain_ he was a psychopath. 

"Only partly," Aldrich admitted, stopping his pacing. "You see, your lovely little lady friend once lived a very different life. She wasn't always so, what's the word? _Alluring._ In fact, she looked really quite different." 

Pulling up the tablet again he swiped across the screen and turned it to show Tony, who frowned at the photos of Y/N - not because of her scars or physical appearance, to him, she was just as beautiful as ever, but because in those photos, she was a complete _stranger._ There was no light in her eyes, no emotion. She looked empty, void of any feeling - the complete opposite to the woman he knew. The woman he _lo-_

**No.** He couldn't say it. He wouldn't admit it when things were looking so dire. When all of this was over, when she was home and everything had settled, _then_ he'd tell her. He felt like an idiot for taking so long to realise what had been in front of him this whole time, for acting like a fool and attempting to dance around the obvious. He wasn’t going to waste another second avoiding his feelings. He just hoped he'd get the chance to put things right. 

"I was quite surprised when I learned she was working with you - I was only looking for Y/N but what were the chances that she'd be working with _you_? I couldn't pass up an opportunity like that - kill 2 birds with the same stone, as they say." Killian chuckled to himself as he started pacing again, leaving Tony no other option but to stand and listen. 

"She came to me, desperate and forlorn, _begging_ to take part in my experiments. To help her _feel normal_ \- I think were her exact words. Who was I to refuse such a poor, **_broken_ ** little thing?" 

"Oh, I don't know, you could've just _not_ used people as lab rats?" Tony had managed to read through some of the intel S.H.I.E.L.D had acquired on his flight over, and it had made him feel sick. He doubted he'd ever get the image of a person _blowing up_ out of his head. 

As much as he detested the conversation, however, he knew that at least if Killian kept talking - as long as his attention was elsewhere - he couldn't hurt Y/N. Tony hated standing around doing nothing, but he also knew that Romanoff was on her way. He just needed to waste enough time for her to get to Y/N before Killian ran out of words.


End file.
